In a significant development, DK Shivakumar, the Karnataka Congress Chief, has reluctantly agreed to take on the role of Deputy Chief Minister following intervention by former party president Sonia Gandhi. Party sources have revealed that the Congress leadership has chosen Siddaramaiah for the post of Chief Minister, with Shivakumar as his deputy.
The breakthrough came after Sonia Gandhi personally spoke to Shivakumar, who had steadfastly demanded the Chief Minister position, in an attempt to resolve the deadlock. Sources close to Shivakumar have stated that he made the decision to become Deputy Chief Minister as a “sacrifice” in the interest of the party.
While the arrangement offered by the Congress leadership has been deemed beneficial for Karnataka, Shivakumar’s brother, DK Suresh, expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, stating that they had hoped for Shivakumar to become Chief Minister. An official announcement is expected later in the evening following a crucial meeting of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) in Bengaluru.
The Congress had faced difficulties in persuading Shivakumar to accept the idea of Siddaramaiah serving another term as Chief Minister, as Siddaramaiah reportedly enjoys the support of the majority of MLAs. Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar presented their cases as contenders for the Chief Minister post in meetings with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Party General Secretary KC Venugopal.
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, speaking to the media outside Kharge’s residence, indicated that a decision could take an additional 48 hours, with another 24 hours required to announce the cabinet. Following Sonia Gandhi’s conversation with Shivakumar, he agreed to accept the number 2 position, according to sources.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, with various like-minded parties expected to attend. The power-sharing arrangement is currently being fine-tuned. While Siddaramaiah is seen as a leader with mass appeal, having completed a full term in 2018, Shivakumar is known for his strong organizational abilities and is regarded as Congress’ troubleshooter during challenging times.
Shivakumar had insisted on the top post, citing his work over the past four years after the collapse of the Congress’s coalition government with HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal-Secular due to a mass party switch by MLAs. However, he had also asserted that he would not resort to “blackmail.”
